Hen&#39;s nest.



N0. 829,426. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

J. & 'l' PIGKERING. v

HENS N EST. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.29.`1905.

WITNESS/Es.-

3 JNI/ENTo/es' THE NoRRls PETER: co4. wAsHlNcroN, D. c

NTED :STATES ICE. JosHUA PIGKERINGAND ATHoMAsBioKERING, oFrARis, CANADA.

l HENS Nasr.

' specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application led March 29, 1905. Serial N0. 252.784-

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSHUA PICKERING and THOMAS PICKERINQcitiZens of the Dominion of Canada, residing at the town of Paris, in the county of Brant and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hens7 Nests, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a nest for hens in which newly-laid eggs are discharged from the nest-bottom into a separate compartment; and our object is to devise a simple, convenient, and effective construction for the purpose.

With this obj ect in view our invention consists, essentially, of a covered nest-frame provided with an opening for the hens and a flexible nest-bottom inclined to one side, where a suitable aperture for the discharge of eggs is provided, of a receptacle provided. with a flexible bottom and having a hinged connection with the nest-frame, and of means for breaking the fall of the eggs, all substantially as hereinafter more specifically described and then definitely claimed.

Figure l is a side sectional elevation of our improved nest. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same, partly in section.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different 'figures A is a4 nest-frame open above and below and provided with an aperture through the bacl. This nest-frame is provided with a cover B, preferably pyramidal in form and provided in its front with the opening b.

` Owing to the pyramidal shape of this cover,

dust and dirt will not accumulate upon it so readily as upon a flat cover.

C is the nest-bottom, preferably formed of some suitable flexible fabric. This nest-bot tom is open at its rear end and is slanted from the front toward this opening. A flap D, of flexible material, is preferably secured over this opening, so as to slightly protect the fall of the newly-laid egg.

The nest-frame is hinged upon the receptacle E. This receptacle is provided with a flexible soft bottom F, preferably oppositely inclined to the nest-bottom C. The receptacle, it will be seen, extends rearwardly beyond the opening a, through which the newly* laid eggs fall. A gap is thus left, which is covered by the canvas or other flexible covering G, suitably secured to the nest-frame and the receptacle. This canvas serves also as a hinge, so that the nest-frame may be swung back to permit of the eggs being removed from the receptacle. Of course other means might be employed for hinging the nest-frame to the receptacle.

A nest constructed in accordance with our invention will be found to possess many important advantages over nests ofv ordinary construction. Each egg as laid rolls away and is caught in the receptacle E, where it is out of sight of the hen and it becomes impossible for the lattervto eat the eggs, a habit to which many hens are addicted. Our nest being completely covered in Vwill prevent the eggs from being frozen through an undue time elapsing between the laying of the eggs and their removal from the nest. Further, as each egg is laid and passes out hens are discouraged from sitting, and stealing of the eggs by rats is prevented. As a matter of convenience an artificial nest-egg is tacked to the center of the nest-bottom. Such forms no part of our invention.

What we claim as our invention isl. In a nest a nestframe provided with a flexible bottom having at its rear an aperture for the exit of eggs, the bottom inclining to the aperture in combination with a receptacle located below the nest-frame and extending rearwardly beyond the rear end thereof; and a flexible bottom for the receptacle inclined away from the point at which the eggs are received from the nest-frame, substantially as described.

2f. In a nest anest-frame provided with a flexible bottom having at its rear an aperture for the exit of eggs, the bottom inclining to the aperture in combination with a rccepta cle located below the nest-frame and extend` ing rearwardly beyond the rear end thereof; a flexible bottom for the receptacle inclined away from the oint at which the eggs arc received from t e nest-frame and a flexible of sight, l

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i ing rearwardly beyond the rear end thereof` GORDON J. SMITH.

.' '2 82eme covering secured to and inelosing the rear and a flexible bottom for the rece tacle in- 16 end of the nest-frame and the exposed top of clined away from the point at Who the eggs the rc-zceptawleI substantially as described. are received from the nest-frame.

3. In a nest a nest-frame provided with a Paris, March 22,1905.- flexible bottom having at its rear an aperture JOSHUA PICKERING. for the exit of eggs7 the bottom inclining t0 THOMAS PICKERING. the aperture, in combination with a receptm In presence 0fcle located below the nest-rame and extend- JOHN PIGKERING, 

